Traversing mechanism in use for fast yarn winding

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a traversing mechanism for fast yarn winding in packages or the like. In a mechanism for imparting traversing motions to yarn with a plurality of adjacent endless belts passing around two or more pulleys and running opposite to each other in the same plane, this invention is in carrying out the delivery of fibers by thread guides mounted on said belts and with guide disks disposed between the belt adjacent to each other thereby to reverse the yarn-advancing direction.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS (72] Inventors ShizumaUeda;

Shigenobu Fujimoto, both of Iwakuni-shl, Japan 242/]SBBX 242/158BX 242/153BX "Ur" .U m h nfih a ew .mdw Dye CNB 71 7 46 999 H 948 982 628 983 333 23 9 6 9 I. 2 i 9 m2 y "a 8M o N d Wm Ac Patented Nov. [6, 197] Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath Attorney-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack I73] Assignee Teijin Seiki Co., Ltd.

Higashi-ku, Osaka, Japan June I3, 1968 Japan [32] Priority I [31 43140818 ABSTRACT: This invention relates to a traversing mechanism [54] ggaxw g gfi IN USE FOR FAST for fast yarn winding in packages or the like. In a mechanism 4 Cl 12 D H for imparting traversing motions to yarn with a plurality of adrawmg jacent endless belts passing around two or more pulleys and running opposite to each other in the same plane, this invention is in carrying out the delivery of fibers by thread guides mounted on said belts and with guide disks disposed between the belt adjacent to each other thereby to reverse the yam-advancing direction.

a 4oon 54 a o ZWfi 4 2M m Mn N c r n a n "e H "S L m cm k U .mF I. ll. 2 0 5 55 PATENTEUuuv 16 Ian 3 6 2O 464 sum 1 or 4 SHIZUMA UEDA and ahigenobu fuj imoto,

INVENTORS BYMMJKALM Attorneys PATENTEnunv 16 Ian 3. 6 20.464

sum 2 or 4 F/g. Z

SHIZUMA UEDA and SHIGENOBU FUJIMOTO, INVENTOK S B Y WK.W

Attorneys PATENTEDunv 1s l97| 3, 20,4 4

sum 3 or 4 v PA /02 APT P/Q/OP APT SHIZUMA UEDA and SHIGENOBU FUJIMO'IO,

INVEN'IOR. S

/i/LMAM. $15 PM ATTORNEYS PATENIEUNUV 1 6 \SH 3 5 20 4 52;

SHEET 0F 4 SHI ZUMA UEDA and SHIGENOBU FUJIFD'I'O,

IN VEN TOR.s

mmmiwm ATTORNEYS TRAVERSING MECHANISM IN USE FOR FAST YARN WINDING The instant invention relates to a traversing mechanism for yarn winding, e.g., a polyester continuous filament yarn onto packages or any other wound storage arrangement of yarn at high speeds. The traversing mechanism in a winding machine operates to guide yarn on a package in a path of appropriate width and plays an important role in determining the building of a package. For instance, in forming a package with both straight edges in a perpendicular plane with respect to the axis of a bobbin and with uniform package density so that the outer diameter is always equal at any place of the traverse path, it is essential to maintain the traversing speeds constant at any place, to make the amount of yarn wound on the bobbin always consistent, and to reverse the yarn at the reversal points as quickly as possible. Depending on the package form, there are other such requirements which must be met. Besides these, there occur other various difficulties.

The winding speeds used in the manufacture of synthetic yarns have recently been increased to increase production, etc. At the present winding speeds for yarn are preferably 2,500 to 6,000 meters per minute, and for such high speeds it is desired that traversing speeds be from 250 to L800 m./min.

Looking back on the past to see what type of traversing mechanism has been used and how it has been designed, we have found that in the early stage a follower was engaged with a cam disk or a grooved cam and this follower was provided with a thread guide. In this way, since the follower makes reciprocating motions, at the reversal points it makes a noise due to an impact. Besides, owing to the reversal, traversing speed is limited, and package building tends to be inconsistent. In a traversing mechanism without such a follower, yarn is directly held in a cam-type groove disposed on the periphery of a cylinder and is given traversing motions. With this mechanism, an impact or a noise at the reversal points can be eliminated and the traversing speed can be made higher. But there are drawbacks such as electrostatic charging of yarn due to friction and fuzzing, or it is impossible to make the distance between the traverse position and the yarn takeup position smaller. In the above-mentioned traversing mechanism, the rotation of a cam is indispensable and a thread guide is given reciprocating motions. The reciprocating movement of a thread guide is obtained by the rotation of a grooved cam or a cylinder having a cam-type groove. That is, a rotary movement is converted into a reciprocating motion. For this reason, the mechanism has some defects. A different technological approach is to impart traversing motions to yarn by way of belts running in directions opposite to each other. Some designs or inventions which make practical use of the above-mentioned methods have been published and are well known to the public. The instant invention relates to improvements in this belt-type traversing mechanism. Prior to the ex planation of the instant invention, the conventional belt-type mechanism will be described.

In a traversing mechanism with the counterrunning belts, it is possible to give traversing motions to the yarn easily and at an equal rate of speed without any impact at reversal points, and it is easy to speed up. However there is a problem in the shifting of yarn at the reversal points. According to the conventional system, thread guides are mounted on the belts the yarn shifting is carried out thereby, but the yarn-shifting operations are likely to become inaccurate. Thus it is difficult to obtain packages having straight edges. Further the forced yarn shifting and the friction therefrom cause fuzzing; particularly in the case ofa multifllament yarn, broken filaments are caused.

The instant invention provides an entirely different yarn shifting device from the prior art, resulting from the search for the causes of such drawbacks (later described). The testing results were exceedingly good. One object of the instant invention is to eliminate conventional defects so as to make possible an extra-high-speed traversing mechanism. Another object of this invention is to manufacture a high-speed traversing mechanism capable of producing packages which have excellent appearance, form, and density. It is a further object of the invention to reduce impact or yarn abrasion to a minimum and to manufacture a good speed traversing mechanism with a high durability.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view, partly cut away of the traversing mechanism of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the running conditions of the belts.

FIG. 5 is a detailed plan view showing in detail the yarnshifting part.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a conventional traversing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a detailed diagram of the traversing apparatus FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8, 9, I0, I] and I2 are plan views showing the steps carried out by the yarn-shifting device of the instant invention.

As mentioned above, a traversing mechanism using belts running in directions opposite to each other has been widely investigated and many inventions and designs exist therefor. One prior art traversing mechanism will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. In FIG. 6 two differential pulleys 50 and 5] are mounted on the common shaft 52. A second shaft 52' is spaced from the first shaft 52 by a specified distance and has 2 further differential pulleys 50' and 51' thereon. Belts M and N pass around the differential pulleys in the manner shown and move in opposite directions, i.e. in the direction of the arrows. A plurality of thread guides A and B, e.g. hooks are secured to each belt on the outside surface thereof adjacent to the other belt, and the distance between the hooks longitudinally along the belts is equal to the traverse length. The yarn is shifted in the manner shown in FIG. 7. If the hook secured to belt M is hook A and the hook on belt N is B, and if belts M and N run in opposite directions to each other hooks A and B carry out the delivery of yarn at a posi tion as shown in FIG. 7. Hook A advances from left to right and engages the front wall, in the hook advancing direction with yarn 1. Hook A is pulled inwards with respect to the reference line C for yarn-traversing motions. Consequently yarn 1 slides along the front of hook A and is separated from the outer end of hook A. At this time, hook B which has advanced from the opposite direction engages the front wall with yarn I, being positioned in a position outside hook A, and carries yarn l in the opposite direction. The yarn-traversing motions are made by the repetition of this action ncar the pulleys. In FIG. 6 pulleys of different size are used, but in similar devices two pulleys of same diameter can be positioned with the shafts arranged eccentrically, or such devices can have a different application of the belts to the pulleys.

However, they are nearly identical with each other in that they use hooks for yarn shifting. In operating conventional belt-type traversing mechanisms, the following common malfunctions have been experienced:

I. Adjustment of yarn-shifting points is difficult.

As shown in FIG. 7, it is difficult to adjust hooks A and B so that they encounter each other at the right times and at accurate positions at the yarn-shifting points, that is, the ends of the traverse length. If the points are once set, any alteration is not an easy job.

2. In FIG. 7, when the delivery of yarn I, that is, the shifting of yarn 1 from hook A to hook B, takes place, it is found that here is a large amount of contact between the surfaces of the hooks and the yarn. Since the yarn slides along the surfaces of the hooks under a given tension, friction resistance occurs which in turn tends to cause damage to the yarn. Particularly with multifilament yarn, entanglements are caused.

3. It is difficult to make the edge surface of package straight.

In order to reduce such drawbacks to a minimum, the instant invention has emphasized the following points:

a. Quick and smooth yarn shifting b. Adjustable yarn-shifting points c. Possible periodic alterations of traverse length One embodiment of the instant invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, main shaft 4 and main shaft are posi' tioned parallel to each other and endless belt 26 passes around pulley 22 secured to main shaft 4 and pulley 25 rotatably mounted on main shaft 10. Another belt 31 passes around pulley 29 secured to main shaft 10 and pulley 28 rotatably mounted on main shaft 4. In this embodiment the diameters of pulleys on one main shaft are identical with each other. The belts 26 and 31 are positioned adjacent to each other. The rotation of shaft 4 is transmitted to shaft 10 by gear wheels 8, 21, 17, and 13. The shafts rotate in opposite directions. As seen in FIG. 3, the rotation of driving motor 1 is transmitted to shaft 4 via pulleys 3 and 7 by means of belt 9. As seen in FIG. 1, adjacent, the belts 26 and 31 are toothed or roller-chaintype belts and run in opposite directions. On the outside surfaces of both belts are mounted hooks 33 and 35 at positions along the adjacent edges of the belts. On the shafts 4 and 10 between the pulleys thereon are disposed bearings 39 and 44. Bearing 39 will be described below. L-shaped lever 38 is mounted on said bearing 39. One arm of lever 38 is in contact with cam 41 being held against cam 41 being held against cam 41 by a spring 42 connected between said one arm and frame member 48. As shown in FIG. 5, the other arm 38 has a guide disk 40 rotatably mounted on the free end thereof. If cam 41 is rotated it moves against lever 38 and the tip of arm 38' moves so that guide disk 40 is displaced. Thus the position of guide disk 40 can be adjusted by movement of cam 41. The same arrangement is provided on main shaft 10, i.e. bearing 44, cam 46, lever 43 and arm 43', and guide disk 45.

In operation, when driving motor 1 is started, pulley 3 drives pulley 7 through belt 9 and which in turn drives mainshaft 4. Pulley 22 drives pulley 24 through belt 26. Pulley 24 is, as stated above, rotatable relative to mainshaft 10. Mainshaft 10 is driven from mainshaft 4 through gears 8, 21, 17 and 13, the pulley 29 thereon drives pulley 28 through belt 31. FIG. 4 schematically shows the running directions of endless belts 26 and 31 which have been shown side by side.

The traversing motions are as follows:

First, as shown in FIG. 1, belt 26 provided with hook 33 advances in the direction of arrow P and belt 31 provided with hook 35 advances in the direction of arrow R. The directions of movement of the belts are opposite to each other. Yarn 37 is given a traversing motion in the direction of arrow R, being pulled by hook 35, during which time yarn 37 is wound in one direction onto bobbin 36. At the end of the forwarding motion of hook 35, yarn 37 is moved outwardly by the periphery of guide disk 40 and separates from the tip of hook 35. The yarn moved outwardly by the guide disk and separated from hook 35 is picked up by hook 33 which advanced from the opposite direction and given an opposite traversing motion. By the repetition of the same yarn-shifting action near mainshaft 10, traversing motions continue. The yarn-shifting action by the apparatus of the instant invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 8 to 12. FIG. 8 shows the posi tions of the parts and the yarn just prior to yarn shifting. Yarn 37 is moving in the direction of the arrow under the action of hook 35 and has not yet reached guide disk 40. The guide disk is secured in a given position (The position of the guide disk is, as mentioned above, adjustable.) FIG. 9 shows the positions where hook 35 has reached the position of disk 40 and yarn 37 has made contact with guide disk 40. Of course, hook 35 is positioned under guide disk 40. Yarn 37 being fed from above in FIG. 1, touches the periphery of guide disk 40. In FIG. 9, due to the forward movement of hook 35, yarn 37 pushes the peripheral tip of the disk; the disk rotates slightly in the hook advancing direction; with the disk rotation, yarn 37 pressing against the periphery moves outward and separates from hook 35. FIG. 10 shows the positions where yarn 37 is about to separate from hook 35. At this time hook 33 is still located slightly ahead of the yarn. FIG. 11 shows the subsequent moment. The yarn that has just left hook 35 is at an angle of a, with respect to the supply source of the yarn and is displaced in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of hook 35 under tension. In FIG. 11, yarn 37 has returned to the path of the hooks. Hook 33 catches up with the yarn and engages it as shown in FIG. 12. As is clear from this explanation, in the instant invention, if the yarn is engaged by hook 33 immediately after it is freed from hook 35, it tends to come off hook 33. Hence it is desired to delay the advance of hook 33 and to let hook 33 engage the yarn which has returned to the path of the hook due to the yarn tension. However, such lag is a lag in the engagement of the hook against the yarn and the speed of the hook is absolutely equal to the traversing speed. Therefore, the return of the yarn to its path under tension is carried out at a speed faster than the traversing speed. Thus the shifting of the yarn at the reversal points is carried out in a moment.

Now we will draw a parallel between a conventional belttype traversing mechanism in FIG. 7 and that of the instant invention in FIG. 10.

In FIG. 7, it has previously been described that the shifting of yarn 1 from hook A to hook B, that is, the reversal points of the yarn are somewhat indefinite. This is because engagement point of hooks A and B is between the hooks with belts M and N moving in opposite directions; consequently a picayune malfunction of the belts will reveal itself as a defect at the reversal points. To solve this problem, the instant invention uses guide disks 40 and 45 as seen in FIG. 10, which determines the reversal points of yarn 37. The center of each guide disk is fixed and if its rotation is constant due to its being en gaged by the yarn 37, the so-called reversal point will remain in the same position. As mentioned above, in the instant invention the consistency of the positions of the reversal points is achieved. The reversals of traversing of the yarn are not forced and are performed in a moment. In FIG. 7 yarn 1 carried by hook A is subjected to an abrupt reversal, being engaged by hook B coming from the opposite direction. The yarn is susceptible of damage due to the shifting accompanied by impact. On the other hand according to the instant invention, yarn 37 carried by hook 35 is engaged with guide disk 40 (FIG. 10). In this case there is little or no impact as the yarn is shifting from hook 35 to guide disk 40 because the disk rotates when it is engaged by the yarn. Then as hook 33, chasing yarn 37, makes contact with the yarn; there is no impact either. As mentioned above, the reversal of yarn 37 is smoothly and quickly carried out. Another feature of the instant invention is that the traversing mechanism is comparatively compact. The mechanism in the instant invention excels any conventional belt-type traversing system in the above-mentioned features but the following salient features should not be missed. That is, the reversal points are determined by guide disks 40 and 45 (FIG. 2). These disks are adjustable, cam 41 which is engaged against one edge of a lever 38 being movable to cause guide disk 40 mounted on the other end of the lever to change its position. Conventional belt-type traversing devices have no such adjusting device. Owing to the lack of such adjusting device various inconveniences and trouble have been experienced. In the instant invention the adjustment of traverse length is possible within a certain range by the operation of cam 41 and during the winding, and periodical alterations of traverse length become possible.

The instant invention, as mentioned above, provides a traversing mechanism comprising belts 26 and 31 running in opposite directions which is compact and which has a combination of rotary pulleys and an interlocking means and which has adjustable guide disks to adjust the reversal points. With this mechanism there can be built up a straight edge package of consistent density and better quality, and high speed traversing motions of fibers can be achieved which can not be achieved by conventional belt-type mechanisms. The apparatus makes less noise, and makes possible adjustment of traverse length.

What is claimed is:

l. A traversing mechanism for a winding machine, comprising a pair of side-by-side belt portions extending in substantially parallel belt runs, the belt portion of one run moving in the opposite direction from the belt portion of the other run, yarn-engaging members at spaced intervals on each belt portion corresponding to the traverse distance which the yarn being wound by the traversing mechanism is to be traversed, a pair of freely rotatable disks positioned between said belt runs and projecting slightly beyond the surfaces of the belt portions on which said yarn-engaging members are mounted, said disks being spaced from each other in the direction of the belt runs a distance substantially equal to the traverse distance of the yarn, a pair of pivoted lever means mounted for pivoting movement in the direction transverse to the surface of the belt portions, each of said disks being mounted on one end of a respective pivoted lever means, and cam means engaged with each of said lever means for pivoting each of said lever means and moving the disks in the direction transverse to the surfaces of the belt portions, whereby a yarn under tension running across the belt runs is carried along the belt runs by a yarn-engaging member in one traverse direction, is engaged with the disk at one end of the traverse distance and lifted out of engagement with the last mentioned yarn-engaging member, drawn back toward the surfaces of the belt portions and slightly toward to other disk by the tension, and is then engaged and traversed in the other direction by a yarn-engaging member on the belt portion moving in the other traverse directionv 2. A traversing mechanism as claimed in claim I in which said mechanism further includes pulley means at the ends of each of the belt runs over which the belt portions run, said pul ley means at each end of the belt runs being mounted on a common shaft and spaced from each other along the shaft, said disks being between the pulley means.

3. A traversing mechanism as claimed in claim 2 in which said lever means are L-shaped levers pivoted around said shafts, the disks being mounted on one of the arms of the levers, and the cam means being engaged with the other arms of the levers.

4. A traversing mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which there are two endless belts, one of the runs of each belt forming the said parallel belt runs, said belts running around said pulley means, one of the pair of pulley means at one end of the belt runs being fixed to the corresponding shaft and the other pulley means being rotatable with respect to said shaft, and the other of the pair of pulley means at the other end of the belt runs being fixed to the corresponding shaft and the one pulley means being rotatable with respect to said shaft, said mechanism further comprising transmission means coupling said shafts for driving them in opposite directions, drive means coupled to one of said shafts, and said L-shaped levers having said other arms extending into the space between said shafts and within said endless belts, whereby the traversing mechanism is made compact.

8 i l 8 i 

1. A traversing mechanism for a winding machine, comprising a pair of side-by-side belt portions extending in substantially parallel belt runs, the belt portion of one run moving in the opposite direction from the belt portion of the other run, yarnengaging members at spaced intervals on each belt portion corresponding to the traverse distance which the yarn being wound by the traversing mechanism is to be traversed, a pair of freely rotatable disks positioned between said belt runs and projecting slightly beyond the surfaces of the belt portions on which said yarn-engaging members are mounted, said disks being spaced from each other in the direction of the belt runs a distance substantially equal to the traverse distance of the yarn, a pair of pivoted lever means mounted for pivoting movement in the direction transverse to the surface of the belt portions, each of said disks being mounted on one end of a respective pivoted lever means, and cam means engaged with each of said lever means for pivoting each of said lever means and moving the disks in the direction transverse to the surfaces of the belt portions, whereby a yarn under tension running across the belt runs is carried along the belt runs by a yarn-engaging member in one traverse direction, is engaged with the disk at one end of the traverse distance and lifted out of engagement with the last mentioned yarn-engaging member, drawn back toward the surfaces of the belt portions and slightly toward to other disk by the tension, and is then engaged and traversed in the other direction by a yarn-engaging member on the belt portion moving in the other traverse direction.
 2. A traversing mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which said mechanism further includes pulley means at the ends of each of the belt runs over which the belt portions run, said pulley means at each end of the belt runs being mounted on a common shaft and spaced from each other along the shaft, said disks being between the pulley means.
 3. A traversing mechanism as claimed in claim 2 in which said lever means are L-shaped levers pivoted around said shafts, the disks being mounted on one of the arms of the levers, and the cam means being engaged with the other arms of the levers.
 4. A traversing mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which there are two endless belts, one of the runs of each belt forming the said parallel belt runs, said belts running around said pulley means, one of the pair of pulley means at one end of the belt runs being fixed to the corresponding shaft and the other pulley means being rotatable with respect to said shaft, and the other of the pair of pulley means at the other end of the belt runs being fixed to the corresponding shaft and the one pulley means being rotatable with respect to said shaft, said mechanism further comprising transmission means coupling said shafts for driving them in opposite directions, drive means coupled to one of said shafts, and said L-shaped levers having said other arms extending into the space between said shafts and within said endless belts, whereby the traversing mechanism is made compact. 